AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2011
FED:Drop tax during economic turmoil: Bishop
PERTH, Aug 5 AAP - The federal government should abandon plans to introduce a carbon
tax while international markets are in turmoil, Acting Opposition Leader Julie Bishop
says.
She told reporters in Perth on Friday that business and consumer confidence in Australia
was still fragile.
"The Australian government should not be imposing a carbon tax on our economy at this time."
Ms Bishop said the proposed tax was creating enormous uncertainty, particularly among
small businesses who would not receive compensation for the increased costs they would
have to bear.
She said the government should drop plans for the tax and take it to the next election.
"The government has to accept that the Australian people do not want a carbon tax," she said.
Ms Bishop said the tax would cause "enormous economic pain for very little environmental gain".
"Australia has a resilient economy, however, we should be very, very careful to ensure
that business and consumer confidence is shored up.
"The last thing that we need in this country is an additional tax, a carbon tax that
no other country is introducing ... that will make us internationally uncompetitive and
drive up the cost of living in Australia."
Earlier, Ms Bishop dropped a pair of her shoes in at local shoe repairer Scott Mackenzie's
shop in the inner Perth suburb of Subiaco and discussed the impact of the carbon tax on
his business.
In a dig at Prime Minister Julia Gillard's comment that she would wear out her shoe
leather promoting the carbon tax, Ms Bishop said she was wearing out her own shoe leather
campaigning against it.
Nearby, Michael Dux of Subiaco's Spotless Drycleaners told reporters his business would
be badly hit by a carbon tax.
"It's something that needs to go to an election immediately and just be abolished," he said.
AAP ldj/jnb/de
KEYWORD: ECONOMY BISHOP UPDATE
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